Gun and Knife murders out of control
Monday, 25th June 2007, 07:25
Category: Crime and Punishment
Gun and knife killings are getting out of control as six Londoners were murdered over the past week and one child is stabbed to death each week, anti-crime campaigners warned.
Local communities were being blighted by run-away violence as gang members who believe they are "untouchable" carry guns and weapons as a matter of routine to carry out crimes and to settle scores.
Now as a matter of "urgency," police should carry out random and targeted stop and search to catch weapon wielding thugs backed up with the introduction of a mandatory five year prison sentence for those carrying illegal knives - the same penalty as carrying guns.
Last Sunday Lee Ryner, 30, was stabbed in Romford. Then father of three Ken Hong, 38, died of his injuries after being thrown from his car as he tried to stop a car thief in Streatham on Wednesday.
Two days later Brazilian Carlos Moreno, 23, was gunned down as he arrived outside a friend's home in Acton on Friday evening.
Hours later Mikey Brown, 24, was stabbed to death during a row in a nightclub in Kinsgston at 2am on Saturday morning, and four hours later 17-year-old Annaka Pinto was shot dead during another row in an Tottenham club.
Then just before midnight on Saturday a 16-year-old was stabbed to death in a gang clash in Beckenham.
Victims of Crime Trust director Norman Brennan said Britain was quickly gaining a reputation as being one of the most violent countries in the Western world, scarring communities and leaving millions in fear of crime.
Now he urged tougher action to stamp out the spiralling violence, claiming the Government has failed to uphold its pledge to make Britain's street safer.
He said: "In the past six days there have been three people stabbed to death, two people shot dead and one father fatally injured when he was run over by his own car whilst trying to prevent it from being stolen.
"A child is stabbed to death on the streets of Britain every week and knife homicides out number gun homicides by three to one. If these measures were introduced it would greatly reduce knife crime and consequently save lives.
"I believe that the government who came into power with the slogan 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime' have failed to deliver on their promises to make the streets of Britain safe.
"We have many individuals and gang members that carry guns and knives as a matter of routine to commit crime and protect themselves and their turf, believing that they are untouchable.
"Unless we can change this attitude and trend, senseless murders will continue unabated and the widespread fear of crime will continue to be controlled by such individuals."
"Each murder affects on average three hundred people. Murders committed in various parts of the country or particularly within a close radius of each other have a ricochet affect and dramatically increase fear within communities."
He added although government figures show a small reduction in gun related crime, it is under reported and has to be viewed against "unprecedented" high levels of knife and gun crime over the last five years.
Although the Trust welcomed the fact the majority of murders leads to an arrest and conviction, prevention is a better cure it said.
Mr Brennan said: "There are currently 270 recorded firearm related offences committed on the streets of Britain every week."
Copyright © 2006 National News
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?...headline=gun_and_knife_murders_out_of_control
Monday, 25th June 2007, 07:25
Category: Crime and Punishment
Gun and knife killings are getting out of control as six Londoners were murdered over the past week and one child is stabbed to death each week, anti-crime campaigners warned.
Local communities were being blighted by run-away violence as gang members who believe they are "untouchable" carry guns and weapons as a matter of routine to carry out crimes and to settle scores.
Now as a matter of "urgency," police should carry out random and targeted stop and search to catch weapon wielding thugs backed up with the introduction of a mandatory five year prison sentence for those carrying illegal knives - the same penalty as carrying guns.
Last Sunday Lee Ryner, 30, was stabbed in Romford. Then father of three Ken Hong, 38, died of his injuries after being thrown from his car as he tried to stop a car thief in Streatham on Wednesday.
Two days later Brazilian Carlos Moreno, 23, was gunned down as he arrived outside a friend's home in Acton on Friday evening.
Hours later Mikey Brown, 24, was stabbed to death during a row in a nightclub in Kinsgston at 2am on Saturday morning, and four hours later 17-year-old Annaka Pinto was shot dead during another row in an Tottenham club.
Then just before midnight on Saturday a 16-year-old was stabbed to death in a gang clash in Beckenham.
Victims of Crime Trust director Norman Brennan said Britain was quickly gaining a reputation as being one of the most violent countries in the Western world, scarring communities and leaving millions in fear of crime.
Now he urged tougher action to stamp out the spiralling violence, claiming the Government has failed to uphold its pledge to make Britain's street safer.
He said: "In the past six days there have been three people stabbed to death, two people shot dead and one father fatally injured when he was run over by his own car whilst trying to prevent it from being stolen.
"A child is stabbed to death on the streets of Britain every week and knife homicides out number gun homicides by three to one. If these measures were introduced it would greatly reduce knife crime and consequently save lives.
"I believe that the government who came into power with the slogan 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime' have failed to deliver on their promises to make the streets of Britain safe.
"We have many individuals and gang members that carry guns and knives as a matter of routine to commit crime and protect themselves and their turf, believing that they are untouchable.
"Unless we can change this attitude and trend, senseless murders will continue unabated and the widespread fear of crime will continue to be controlled by such individuals."
"Each murder affects on average three hundred people. Murders committed in various parts of the country or particularly within a close radius of each other have a ricochet affect and dramatically increase fear within communities."
He added although government figures show a small reduction in gun related crime, it is under reported and has to be viewed against "unprecedented" high levels of knife and gun crime over the last five years.
Although the Trust welcomed the fact the majority of murders leads to an arrest and conviction, prevention is a better cure it said.
Mr Brennan said: "There are currently 270 recorded firearm related offences committed on the streets of Britain every week."
Copyright © 2006 National News
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?...headline=gun_and_knife_murders_out_of_control
